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Old 10-06-2009, 01:51 PM
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Mohoender Mohoender is offline
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Default Oceania

I take a huge risk as I post this: a small background on Oceania (full of weaknesses as it's aé first draft). I'm sure I'll be carefully read by our Australian Friends.

All my respect to the country that fascinate me the most on this small round stone of ours (I have dreamt of Australia since I was 5 or 6 and it still remains out of reach).


As the course toward the Twilight War is set and, as the world is experiencing more and more instabilities and unrests, Oceania appears to be quiet. Actually, as the world slowly plunges into chaos, Oceania, and Australia in particular, is experiencing a tremendous social and economical stability.

In the year before the war, most of the Western World is facing economical and social difficulties resulting from fossil energy shortages and a major increase of oil prices. Australia, for its part, is doing well as it benefits from this increase of oil prices and sells more fuel and gas to France, Japan or the USA. In addition, this allows for the exploitation of reserves that were too expensive to extract before. In the meantime, the government increasingly turns toward alternative energies for its domestic needs; therefore, preventing the fast depletion of its fossil fuels reserves.

When war starts over Europe, Australia stands with the allies as it always did but sends only small highly specialized units. With all its military forces expending before the war, Australia could have done more from the beginning but that was declined by the US government as this administration was already expecting another front to open in Asia. As a result, Australia and New Zealand spends the two first years of the war virtually outside of the conflict, preparing for it but only lightly engaged. Military forces, especially air and naval forces, are being built up with volunteers enlisting in large number and military productions increasing to their war level. When, the region finally actively enters the war, its forces are more than ready. Australia has commissioned more ships (including 2 aircraft carriers resembling the Spanish “Principe de Asturias”) and its air and ground forces have been expended. New Zealand follows a similar path and its air force is now flying F-16s in addition to its venerable Skyhawks. Ground forces have been expended as well and naval units that were to be decommissioned are patrolling the seas again.

At the political level, Australia and New Zealand already lay the bases of what is to become the Confederation of Oceania. Their militaries are actively collaborating and a common command has been established. In addition, both countries already establishes the bases for a common market and this is seen as essential because of the constant increase in the region’s income. Raw materials are shipped to the USA and Japan while industries are producing more and more military goods, supplying the allies on the base of some kind of Lend-Lease agreement.

Now engaged massively in Korea and China, Australians and Neo Zealanders prove themselves to be fierce soldiers again. Their navies are largely engage in the covering operation protecting the landing of reinforcements to the Hong Kong area and the crews prove highly skilled. Despite some losses and damages, they are largely involved in the counter attack that sinks most of the Chinese fleet, just north of Taiwan. Later they are providing escorts to convoys supplying the allies in mainland China and Korea, sinking more Chinese submarines than any other allied navies in the region. In Korea, their ground troops supported by a small air corps are spearheading the counter attack that brings the North Korean to the 38th parallel and their SAS units are among the first to bring the war on Pyongyang itself. The situation is more difficult in China where the Chinese proved much better fighter. Nevertheless, again, troops from Oceania are quickly among the most decorated units in the area.

On one occasion, two Maori infantry Battalions will resist and stop an advancing Chinese armored division during 38 hours. When they are finally relieved, they have lost more than 80% of their manpower, including all officers. Upon reading reports from the survivors and after a sorrow investigation, the Allied High Command established that when all officers had been killed their task was taken over by staff sergeants and sergeants. Then, when most sergeants had been killed as well, command was taken over by Corporals and, on several occasions, it was assumed by 1st class soldiers.*


A year later, when the Allies start to withdraw in China, the various troops from Oceania are still there, conducting deep raids in Korea and rear guard fights in mainland China. Actually, SAS, Maoris and Fijians prove the most efficient in COIN actions conducted against Chinese people’s militia. They are too few, however, and despite several successes they prove unable to stop the Chinese guerilla for more than a few days. Nevertheless, Australians and Neo Zealanders are still fighting deep within China as the Allies fall back and they are among the last to break through to join Canton, Hong Kong and Macao.

While the troops are fighting hard, the support from the population doesn’t faint and volunteers are still enlisting daily while workers accept to work overtime to ensure that the troops are properly supplied. This changes only when tactical nukes are used on a large scale into China. Many among the Australian population are astonished and several groups start to protest against the conduct of the war. At first, there are only a few people attending these gathering but that change after the destruction of an entire Australian Regiment. Within a couple of weeks of this event, rumors are circulating that the soldiers were simply sacrificed and that they were ordered to remain in place while the High Command perfectly knew they wouldn’t survive. Within days of these rumors, this is confirmed and protesters gather in large crowds in all major cities as workers get on strike all over the country. Finally, when the government orders the police and the army to restore order, the troops and most officers simply refuse to take any action. Protests continue for an entire week until the government declares that it will bring most troops back home except for those who clearly volunteer to remain in China and Korea.

Modification starts
This withdrawal is underway when nukes start to be targeted at a wider range of military installations and, then, at cities and towns in different regions of the world. At that moment Australia is hit three times when SS-18 Satan strikes the strategic facilities on the continent (North-West Cape, Nurrungar and Pine Gap). Civilian casualties are somewhat reduced and Adelaide is the only major cities to be lightly damaged but the effect on the population is immediate: anger soon turns to panic and large bodies of people start to leave the cities for the countryside. This time, the army is called upon again and troops are deployed all over the countries to ensure that panic doesn’t turn into a general unrest. This is highly successful and the military deployment is reinforced when the troops finally return home. Of course, the troops’ outstanding discipline is instrumental in this wide success but little could have been done without the population. As people were leaving the cities, they were welcome by those in the countryside and solidarity was everywhere. On the outcome, except for isolated violence, the country remains under control despite its largely deserted cities. It is of course working more slowly that it ever was but it is still functional and various factories are still producing goods and supplies.

At last, when the Exchange starts to reduce itself, it becomes obvious that the region won’t be targeted anymore and people slowly get back to the cities. It is now believed among the Australian High Command that two of the Soviet Boomers had been ordered to attack Australian and New Zeeland cities, but this attack fail to materialize (One of the SSBN was sunk off the coast of Taiwan by a Japanese destroyer while the other was sunk south of Guam by a US Navy P-3 as it was getting ready for launch). This remains hided and when EMPs are finally used most people are at home and this greatly helps the state when order needs to be restored. A martial law is declared on the following day and people are ordered to remain at home. Within a few days, some electricity is restored in the various cities and the government can provide its advice to the people. Within a week, power supply has been restored to all emergency buildings (hospitals, government compounds…) and the authorities are able to organize some kind of supply line to feed the population. Civil unrest is not unknown of but that doesn’t last. Nevertheless, it takes more than four months to the Australian governments to fix most damages.


In the meantime, Indonesia, trying to take advantage of the Australian weaknesses, launches an offensive in Papua-New Guinea while troops are landed near Darwin. The naval landing at Darwin is, however, not entirely successful and the city garrison escapes, conducting several raids on the Indonesian during the following three weeks. The chaos in which are Australians communications buys the Indonesians some times but again that doesn’t last. Modification ends Finally, the Indonesians have been delayed long enough and when the Australian armored elements counter attack their armored units (equipped with AMX-13/90 and PT-76) are wiped out by the Leopard 1 and recently commissioned M1A2 Abrams. Air superiority is also quickly gained and a naval operation is launched on the rescue fleet sent to evacuate the survivors. The Australian, navy loses a few frigates and one of its carriers is lightly damaged but the Indonesian rescue fleet is sunk, losing its best units and much of its combat aircrafts in the process. Fighting continues for two more weeks before the survivors finally surrender. The offensive in Papua-New Guinea is also facing failure as more troops from Oceania are sent to Port Moresby. After two weeks of a successful progression, the Indonesian troops are stopped because of the logistical collapse that follows the losses at Darwin. In fact, Indonesia didn’t escape the effect of the EMPs but, unlike Australia and New Zealand, remain unable to repair most damages and the operations around Darwin consumed most remaining supplies. The government finds itself helpless and all operations come to an end. Finally, when the Australians counter attack in Papua-New Guinea, entire Indonesian units simply surrender.

The population is suffering much in Indonesia and the government is thrown out soon after to be replaced by a pro-Australian one. Peace is signed and the new Indonesian authorities call for Australian help and support. Australia sends engineers and supplies to Indonesia but it also sends several military units. Then, as most of the population in Java and Sumatra is supportive of the Australians, this is not true for most other Islands and guerillas are formed, soon to operate all over the country.

As this short conflict is fought between Indonesia and Oceania, the region faces another threat. Refugees are now coming from all over Asia, especially Japan and Taiwan, in hope for some help. At first, Australia and New Zealand try to bring them some relief and the first refugees receive a warm welcome. Nevertheless, the flood doesn’t seem to slow down and when their number get above three millions it becomes obvious that the situation is getting out of hand. With no other choice, all authorities from the region order their naval units to repel new refugees at all cost. As a result, the region enters one of its darkest ages in history as patrols are conducted daily and boat peoples that refuse to turn around are mercilessly sunk. Survivors are executed with machine guns and anti-air guns.

In the meantime, representatives from Australia, Fiji Islands, New Zealand and Papua-New Guinea meet at Sydney and establish the Confederation of Oceania. Each member is to retain a certain level of autonomy but defense matters and choices concerning strategic raw materials are to be conducted in common.

Other Change
Nowadays, the region returned to an almost normal life despite a widespread contamination of the farmlands and some human losses. Martial law is still in effect but it became less restrictive and the civilians are enjoying an access to true luxuries: new cars, technological goods and quality food. Moreover, power supply is available to most even if that access is sometimes limited, especially when it comes to the extremely poor refugees that are now living in the cities suburbs (their population is now reaching almost 5 millions). Industries are largely working and they are still dedicated to producing military goods for the local forces but also for export. The navy and air force is still conducting numerous patrols but the killings of refuges have stopped. Fighting still takes place in Indonesia and they don’t seem to reach a peaceful solution any time soon. Finally, as trade still exists, it is essentially conducted with FBU (France still held Neo Caledonia), Thailand and the remnants of the Allied forces in the Middle East and on the East Coast.

*Inspired by a report from a fight opposing two French Foreign Legion Battalions to a German Panzer Division in 1940.

Last edited by Mohoender; 10-09-2009 at 11:28 AM.
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